Police braced for more G20 violence

Police in London were braced for more G20 violence today after nearly 90 people were arrested during a first day of protest marking the summit.

Metropolitan Police Commander Simon O’Brien warned there may be more clashes between officers and demonstrators as their focus moves to the summit meeting itself at the Excel Centre in London’s Docklands.

Masked anarchists smashed their way into a Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) branch in central London yesterday and police chiefs said officers faced “high levels of violence” in isolated incidents throughout the day.

There were at least 87 arrests, including four for violent disorder, six public order offences and 11 for possessing a police uniform.

The day also saw the death of a protester. Police said the victim, thought to be a man in his 30s, died after collapsing near the Bank of England.

Today, demonstrators will also converge on the London Stock Exchange, but all eyes will be on the meeting of world leaders at the Excel Centre where protesters will be met with an extensive security operation.

Yesterday, an angry mob trashed equipment, daubed graffiti on the walls and threw a chair through a window after more than 4,000 demonstrators, most of them peaceful, gathered near the Bank of England to demand action from world leaders.

Mr O’Brien, a member of the Met’s command team for the G20 security operation, said small pockets of criminals were responsible for the outbreaks of trouble and would be tracked down.

But he added that the vast majority of participants were good-humoured.

Speaking at New Scotland Yard, the senior officer said some of the apparent ringleaders were followed by helicopter as they left flashpoints yesterday.

“As we went on it was clear there were people within the group that were first of all involved in juvenile and puerile behaviour,” he said.

“That started to escalate into quite provocative behaviour towards police lines. There were small groups charging forwards and backwards into police lines.

“It did seem to us from CCTV and police on the scene that they tried to find a way to ramp up the protest and hijack it into violence.”

Mr O’Brien said police collected footage from “helitelly”, the force’s nickname for CCTV from powerful helicopter cameras.

“We started to see a good deal more violence coming from small groups in the crowd,” he said.

“Clear attacks on police line, clear attacks on police by protesters and completely unprovoked.

“Then we saw a determined attack on the RBS where at least three plate-glass windows were broken.

“There was a clear attempt to throw lighted material in that premises and we saw small amounts of minor thefts from the premises.”

The Met said people identified as being part of the violent clashes should expect a “knock on the door”.

Among the other arrests were two people held for aggravated burglary, and another for arson, over the raid on the RBS building.

Others were held for public order offences, threatening behaviour, possession of drugs, violent disorder and blocking a road.

The eleven people arrested in connection with possessing police uniforms were held after the garments were found in the back of an armoured vehicle.

Senior officers said one police officer was treated in hospital after suffering a blow to the head. Seven protesters were also taken to hospital.

Stuart Fraser, of the City of London Corporation, praised the police action and said the officers were “handling a tricky job very well”.